College of St. Benilde and Arellano start their best-of-three finals affair Wednesday in NCAA women’s volleyball at The Arena in San Juan City.
Match is at 2 p.m. with both teams seeking to draw the first blood and move a victory away from clinching the crown.
The Lady Blazers are favored in the matchup owing to their impressive elimination feat where they swept all nine games to earn an outright finals berth.
St. Benilde also seeks to regain the championship they last won in 2015-2016 season.
That includes a dominating 25-15, 25-15, 25-14 triumph over the Lady Chiefs last July 9.
But Arellano is set to avenge that defeat this time and is coming off a morale-boosting 19-25, 25-20, 27-25, 25-17 win over the Jose Rizal University Lady Bombers in the stepladder semifinals that earned them the second finals berth.
Despite being three-peat defending champions, Arellano coach Obet Javier thinks they are the underdogs in this matchup.
“Alam naming dadaan kami sa butas, sa pader, para manalo sa St. Benilde,” Javier said.
“Kumbaga pader sa pader, tore kung tore yung makakalaban namin. Kailangan namin ng panibagong strategy kumpara sa unag meeting namin sa kanila.”
Javier eyes Nicole Sasuman, Carla Donato, Trina Abay and Charmina Dino to deliver once again after scoring in double figures against JRU, as well as Pauline De Guzman, who came off the bench and led the squad with 19 points.
But Javier also expects a stronger St. Benilde, which is coming off a week and a half respite.
Out to lead the Lady Blazers are Jade Gentapa, Jhasmine Pascual and Mycah Go, along with settler Cloanne Mondonedo.